State Briefs 10/30/09

PEORIA – Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is returning to Peoria for a 7 p.m. Jan. 9 show at the Civic Center Theater.

Tickets are $47, $62 and $77 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Nov. 6 at the Peoria Civic Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at (800) 745-3000 and online at Ticketmaster.com.??

Seinfeld last performed in Peoria on Jan. 11, 2008, at the Civic Center theater. The 2008 show sold out in 15 minutes and prompted promoters to add a second show on the same evening, which also sold out.

Civic Center marketing director Marc Burnett said he expects the upcoming Seinfeld show to sell out again, and there is a chance that a second show could be added.

Peoria Journal Star

Live-in girlfriend charged in man’s death

PEORIA – Prosecutors on Friday filed murder charges against the live-in girlfriend of a man killed last week.

Nora J. Patton, 47, of Peoria, faces two counts of first-degree murder for the Oct. 23 death of Johnny Tyler who was found dead at his home. Patton, who also goes by the name Nora Patton-Keeton, had already been facing obstructing justice charges for allegedly lying to police about where she was when Tyler was shot once in the head.

At an earlier hearing where Patton’s bond was set at $40,000 on the obstructing justice count, prosecutors said it was Patton who reported Tyler’s death. The two lived together, police have said.

Patton told police she found his body when she returned home from a night of “partying,” according to prosecutors. Police did not initially find a weapon at the scene, and there were no signs of forced entry to or items missing from the home.

Peoria Journal Star

Man accused of trying to hit patient with shoe

SPRINGFIELD – A 39-year-old man allegedly became unruly in the emergency room at St. John’s Hospital and tried to hit another patient with his shoe.

The disturbance occurred about 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Emergency room staff told police that Jerry E. Marlett, of Springfield, came into the hospital and started yelling at a patient who was lying in a bed. Marlett allegedly removed his shoe and started swinging it at the victim.

Hospital personnel intervened and put Marlett in another room, where he allegedly continued yelling and swinging at staff members. Security staff restrained him until police arrived.

The victim told police he didn’t know Marlett and was unsure why he was yelling at him.

State Journal-Register

Man sentenced in death of 23-month-old stepson

MARION – A 30-year-old Herrin man will spend at least the next 26 months in the Illinois Department of Corrections for his role in the death of his stepson.??

Peter Kerrigan pleaded guilty in July to involuntary manslaughter for the December 2006 death of 23-month-old Brynden Gibson. Kerrigan admitted that he recklessly failed to obtain medical attention for the child.

??Kerrigan was originally charged with first degree murder and aggravated battery. He had been accused of shaking Gibson, causing injuries that eventually led to the toddler's death.??

Kerrigan was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Williamson County Circuit Court Judge Phillip Palmer. By law, the sentence allows for day-for-day credit for good behavior in prison, cutting the sentence in half. Kerrigan will also get credit for the nearly three years he has served in the Williamson County Jail.